Off Road Riding

[Fast4fun]

I just bought an off road bike and now I'm looking for places to ride. I'm aware of the privately held off road parks and MX tracks but I was wondering if anyone knows of open public lands in norhern illinois or southern Wisconsin where I can do some trail riding?   Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan would work as well. I'm located near Chicago. While I'm at it, which of the private MX tracks are your favorites? I hear good things about the track in Ottawa. Are there any that I should just avoid?   Thanks for your help.

[EM JAY]

 I'm with ya on this one..   Just picked up one myself this year and have been lookin for the same.   Buffalo Range in Ottowa is really cool, bit of a hike for myself but great range of tracks and trails.     There is a "private" track by me in Wadsworth, not bad for only being 10min away....     

[Xian_13]

I also just picked up an MX bike.
I'm trying to get a grip on where to ride.

The two tracks I have been to, are Fox Valley... Somewhere in IL
And OHV in Fond Du Lac, WI.

I have hear of Buffalo, but I don't know anything about it.


XIII

[HAWK]

Michigan has about 1500 miles of public trails open to dirt bikes starting about mid way up and going all the way to the UP. They are well marked most are loops so you can park in a lot and ride a 10 to 100 mile loop back to your truck. You pay an annual fee to the DNR for a permit that you attatch to the bike and it is only something like $20 (been a couple years but it's something like that).

[gntbldr]

Michigan has about 1500 miles of public trails open to dirt bikes starting about mid way up and going all the way to the UP. They are well marked most are loops so you can park in a lot and ride a 10 to 100 mile loop back to your truck. You pay an annual fee to the DNR for a permit that you attatch to the bike and it is only something like $20 (been a couple years but it's something like that).

Still the same Paul.
From my experience the northern single track on the mainland was some of the most intense single track trails I've been on. I can't remeber the trail names but it was Sout East of the Mackinaw Bridge. Bear something or other I think...

While the basic run of the mill trails in Da U.P. were Great trails to lazy river ride and at times they'd offer some decent obstacles.
Some of my most favorite scenic runs are up in the Keweenaw Penninsula at and around Copper Harbor. Take Hwy 41 until it ends and let the trail riding begin! Make sure you stop by Lake Lac LaBelle for lunch before you head back into the mountains.







As for some southern riding one can check out Attica IN at a place called The Badlands Off Road Park. There you can ride the HUGE hill climbs, dunes, mild trails and whatnot with either a dirtbike, atv, rail, buggy, or 4x4 truck.

Great place to spend a weekend too.

[Scotty Ryan]

http://jolietmx.com/
http://www.motoland.com/index.html
http://www.motobyron.com/
http://www.sunsetridgemx.com/

These are some of the local MX tracks around northern Illinois and Indiana... I have ridden all of these tracks many times - It was a few years ago - During my hayday of MX - But none the less they are all good tracks.... If you end up at Joliet MX - Tell the owner "Justin" that I said hi....

Actually myself and one of my flattrack buddies might be making a trip out to see what we still have on the 25th or 26th of this month - Let me know if your interested....

[Tom Fredricks]

We will be hitting KI tracks in Ill. this sunday(located around Byron) very well groomed track and very fun for the expert and novice riders.

[Scotty Ryan]

We will be hitting KI tracks in Ill. this sunday(located around Byron) very well groomed track and very fun for the expert and novice riders.

Would love to get out there - A groomed track isn't something that you hear in roadracing much :) Let us know how it goes - As I'll be in Daytona this weekend

[d_dog]

For winter riding. Indoor moto track.....................(WIR) Waterman International Raceway, LLC

http://www.wirmx.com/

[Fast4fun]

Great suggestions. Thanks and keep it coming as you think of other places to ride. I found this website which lists all the mx tracks by state...  www.wheretomx.com

I also heard that MCCC runs events on the Michigan trails. The website I found is www.cycleconservationclub.org   My dealer told me about someplace called Black River Falls, WI as well. Any info on that?

I'll be checking out either joliet or Buffalo in Ottawa this Sunday. Probably the badlands next weekend cuz everyone says great things about it.

Chitnuts, let me know where you're going at the end of the month and I'll try to meet you there.

thrdrcr, what are KI Tracks?

[Scotty Ryan]

For winter riding. Indoor moto track.....................(WIR) Waterman International Raceway, LLC

http://www.wirmx.com/

Waterman is cool - Since there aren't many place to ride in the winter... Last time I was there the place had some issues - Support pillars between lanes on the track. Didn't bother me much - I was racing supercross at the time... But I do recall hitting a double on one lane of the track while purposely throwing my bike sideways in the air to use the backside of another double on the next lane of the track as a landing for a triple... They didn't like that much tho - after a few laps of doing that they pulled me off the track and said that "A" I was cutting the track - and "B" I was coming really close to one of the support pillars :)  Good Times

[Scotty Ryan]

I'll be checking out either joliet or Buffalo in Ottawa this Sunday. Probably the badlands next weekend cuz everyone says great things about it.

Chitnuts, let me know where you're going at the end of the month and I'll try to meet you there.

WIll do